SIBU: Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) candidate for Dudong, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (pic) says he is not running to project himself as a powerful person.

       He said if one tried to make himself “look powerful”, he could end up looking like a fool instead.

       Tiong was answering a question on whether he expected support from Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Dudong members.Traditionally, SUPP has always contested in Dudong, a state seat in the Lanang parliamentary constituency.Tiong is the president of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) nominated by GPS to stand in the seat at the 12th Sarawak state election instead of Wong Ching Yong of SUPP.

       The move has upset some quarters. SUPP president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Han said a few days ago that he was shocked as “this was not part of our understanding” but SUPP would accept the decision.

       As the GPS candidate for the seat, Tiong appealed to SUPP’s Dudong branch members to work with him.

       “I urge all the people in Dudong to give their full support to GPS. I appeal to SUPP members not to be emotional but to work together for the sake of Dudong,” he added.

       Tiong, who is also the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China, said he would also feel sore if a seat was taken away for another party.

       He said when the Opar seat in Kuching was not given to his party despite intense lobbying for it, he did not “feel bad” but gave his full support to the candidate from SUPP.

       “If I get emotional and try to do something bad, it wouldn’t be good for the candidate. But we are helping him. The proposer for the GPS candidate and the constituency operations chief are from my party,” he said.On whether he would defend his Bintulu seat in the next general election, Tiong said he was focusing on this election first.

       “But the most important thing is for us to win Dudong and later set up the service centre,” he added.

       As a four-term MP, he disagreed that he had the upper hand in the eight-cornered fight for the seat.

       “What we have, other people also have. I am the same as other people though I am an MP,” he added.

       He said his priority was to solve the flooding issue and to upgrade infrastructure and telecommunication facilities in the area.